Chapter 45

### Chapter 45: The Idol's Technique That Never Fails

I was lost in thought for a moment, then belatedly checked the roulette.

[You can open a new roulette.]

[You can currently use 1 roulette simultaneously.]

[Do you want to check the new roulette?]

[You can use the (Super Idol's Purple Roulette) to move the hearts of the public due to the completion of a hidden mission.]

[The roulette currently in use is]

[(Hit Song Maker's Red Roulette).]

[Do you want to switch the roulette?]

[※Please choose carefully.]

Hmm...

'So, it moves the hearts of the public.'

If I think realistically, what I need most right now is to move the hearts of the public. Even though I knew this, I hesitated for a moment. At least until the regular album is completed, I want to focus as much as possible on composing. And, to be honest, I was just scared. The idea of moving the hearts of the public felt like it would only have a negative effect on me.

After deciding to take my time to think, I continued with the music video shoot.

* * *

Right after the music video shoot, Firstlight's fans were speculating about the upcoming variety show, Firstlight Company, while waiting for the concept trailer.

[Is this concept going to be intense?]

[Probably not in a row.]

[I hope they wear suits again.]

[I think we'll see plenty of suits once they all turn adults, so I prefer school uniforms...]

[It's about time Jiho gives us a spoiler!!!!!]

As the fans were buzzing, the Xbus alarm went off as expected.

[Minjo: Are the Hae-sun boys waiting for the concept?!!!!?????????????]

[Minjo: We're also waiting while practicing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

[Minjo: Th-th-th-th-thrilled]

[An Joo-won: Jiho is excited lol. I hope the Hae-sun boys like it.]

And at exactly midnight,

A 59-second concept trailer was uploaded.

The screen faded in from darkness, showing An Joo-won lying on a bed with the sea visible through a large window. Joo-won got up from the bed, sighed, scratched his head, and placed a rather cute cushion on his lap. He then put a large notebook on the cushion and continued writing notes.

[Expected Questions

1. Did you sleep well?

2. Did you win the baseball game? (Don't forget that they might ask this again!)

3. Have you heard Firstlight's new song?

4. ...What else?]

While drawing a line under number 4 and pondering, Joo-won threw the notebook and sprawled on the cushion.

Then, a baseball field appeared, and three members, each wearing a uniform with their unique number, walked by. The other three members appeared in individual shots taken at the rooftop, hill, and beach where Joo-won was staying.

[Is it fresh and refreshing?]

[Insane]

[No, the boys' faces]

[The faces]

[Natural light... this is what natural light looks like...]

[The natural light is good, but the boys' expressions are really bright. They must have enjoyed the shoot.]

[I've never seen Seul like this...]

[Seul can actually look refreshing lol.]

* * *

Even at a glance, the concept trailer was quickly gaining views. Although pre-orders hadn't started yet, TRV was expecting a higher volume than before.

Volume is tricky; too much and it's left over, too little and it's insufficient. It would be great to make an accurate prediction, but that's not an easy task.

Moreover, it's uncertain whether the positive response to the previous digital single will carry over to this song.

Thinking about it, I felt really nervous.

This album is really important. The title track is already mixed, so all I can do is pray to a god I don't believe in.

I also heard that the concert venue for November has been successfully secured. Everything is going smoothly for once. If the volume and concert audience predictions are accurate...

...the company will handle it well, right? After all, TRV has experience. Right?

I thought I was being too distrustful of the company and decided to forget about it quickly.

"How's the reaction? Is it good?"

When I asked Hwang Seul, who was looking at the YouTube comments, he scolded me.

"See for yourself."

From his response, it seemed the overall reaction was good.

I opened YouTube again and, despite not needing to, went to the trending videos to see it with my own eyes.

Right above the concept trailer was a video from TYT's new survival show, The Thirteen.

I usually ignore The Thirteen videos, but today the thumbnail caught my attention. The trainee's expression and gaze were very familiar.

It felt a bit out of place. They had contacted me about the editing controversy, and now they were doing this so openly?

Hwang Seul noticed my phone had stopped and said,

"Hey, why are you worried about that?"

"Huh."

I moved the screen to check Firstlight's regular album concept trailer. Still, that scene lingered in my mind.

* * *

[The Thirteen's negative editing is insane.]

[Who's the responsible PD?]

[↳Park Kyung-seok? He was the PD for the negative editing during Kuk Sun-ah's time.]

[Isn't he a crazy guy lol.]

While moving to the practice room and checking the comments, Shin Ji-won frowned and handed his phone to An Joo-won, who was working on a task.

"They're going for a negative editing concept."

"What... Oh, you're right."

In response to the controversy over Jeong Hae-won's editing, The Thirteen's responsible PD, Park Kyung-seok, started with overtly provocative editing.

Viewers found traces of the editing controversy, and the participants began discussing the negative editing openly.

- Am I being negatively edited?

- I'm sorry, please edit this out.

- No, last time, that expression wasn't because of the ranking...

They were essentially using negative editing as content.

In the process, Jeong Hae-won's name was occasionally mentioned.

- I understand how Hae-won must feel.

- Hae-won, how do you avoid being negatively edited?

As the mentions continued, the editing during Kuk Sun-ah's time seemed less severe. Shin Ji-won threw his phone and said,

"The PD must have thought hard about it."

"Ji-won, can't we sue them?"

"No, I'm not a lawyer, and my parents..."

"You're taking the college entrance exam this year."

"Just take it."

While driving, manager Park Jung-won said,

"Your parents must have done well on the exam."

"They did well, so they went to good universities. But do we really need to take the exam? I find it hard to sit for a long time."

Then, Han Hyo-seok, who was listening to music, said,

"Bro, do you want me to pack a lunch for you?"

"You'll just feed me grass."

"I'll put in some chicken breast."

"Thank you so much."

"Why not? It's good for digestion."

Han Hyo-seok shrugged and put his earphones back in. Then, as if he remembered something, he took them out again and said,

"A friend from my agency is currently on The Thirteen, and the atmosphere is really strange. They're all trying to get negatively edited because it generates more buzz than the performances."

Shin Ji-won and An Joo-won clicked their tongues. As expected, public opinion didn't favor Jeong Hae-won.

[Anyway, negative editing is still attention.]

[Even without talent, they got plenty of screen time. That's why they can debut and be active with the current groups.]

[↳But they performed well.]

[↳↳I didn't feel that at all.]

[↳↳↳That's why the editing during Kuk Sun-ah's time was the problem.]

[In the past, I thought it was better not to appear at all, but now, seeing The Thirteen, even negative editing is beneficial because it gives you screen time...]

[Honestly, Hae-won probably did it to get attention.]

[↳Did Kuk Sun-ah suffer from negative editing? No, not really.]

Once someone is seen as fair game, negative comments come more easily. Still, it was positive that there were rebuttal comments.

An Joo-won said to manager Park Jung-won,

"Bro, can the company talk to The Thirteen? Mentioning Hae-won isn't good for our team's image."

"I'll try, but you know. VMC is very meticulous and can give us disadvantages."

"......That's true."

All the Firstlight members knew the atmosphere of the company's variety show well. The mood sank.

[When talking about talent, didn't the controversy about Jeong Hae-won's composition come up again...]

[↳That was a while ago. Yang Yi-hyung called him a fraud.]

[↳↳Exactly. These people don't update their information. They only see what they want to see.]

[There's a Jeong Hae-won song on this regular album too.]

[↳Honestly, we'll only know the extent of his contribution once the album is out.]

Shin Ji-won, who was still checking the comments, said,

"Anyway, once this album comes out, the friend who was nitpicking about the composition will look silly."

"The piano session was really good."

While An Joo-won was agreeing, Han Hyo-seok, who had somehow heard, took out his earphones and said,

"Two Villains is really good too?"

"Got it. You got a good song. Happy now?"

"Yep."

Han Hyo-seok smiled and put his earphones back in.

* * *

"It's done..."

The final detail adjustments and some string arrangements were complete. Now, my job was really over.

As I was about to lie down, Yang Yi-hyung said,

"Save it and enjoy it."

"Oh, right."

The most important thing for people who make a living from creation? Of course, it's backup.

Fortunately, Yang Yi-hyung was always reminding me of the importance of saving. I told him,

"Thanks to you, I've become an adult who saves regularly."

"You didn't just now, kid."

"Now, I'm an adult who saves regularly after getting scolded by you."

"Grateful, huh? Buy me beef."

"I'm broke."

"You'll escape poverty once this album comes out."

Can I really escape poverty...

The revenue from 'Turn On the Light,' released in June, will be available in November. I heard that the composers' payday is the 23rd.

This time, there are quite a few songs, so I might get some royalties next year.

"It would be nice if it's enough to change my equipment. Is that greedy?"

"What kind of equipment do you want?"

"Well, good equipment is definitely better."

Especially since I had the cheapest setup, I gained a lot from using Yang Yi-hyung's equipment. Composers who say equipment doesn't matter are usually using top-notch gear, so they forget or don't know what it's like to use poor equipment.

Yang Yi-hyung said,

"Given your good ears, you probably feel the difference more."

"Sounds like I'm a genius, but I'm not."

"Actually, you seem to have learned a lot from your music education. There's a certain sophistication that comes from classical training."

I'm not sure what that sophistication is, but it's true that I know more about classical instruments.

While working on this album, I used classical instruments to express tenderness, especially in the title track 'Just Waiting for the Morning (Q&A)' and throughout the album. I recorded the piano sessions myself, and the glockenspiel and flute sounds are also included.

Anyway, I hope the highlight medley is released soon. The thought of waiting in tension until the music is released is already overwhelming.

To pass the time, I decided to watch the new episode of Firstlight Company, which was uploaded on the evening the concept trailer was released.

I laid out the foldable bed in the studio and started the video. Creepy music played over a rainy night campus. I immediately turned it off.

"......I'll watch it at the dorm."

It seems the best part of horror content is the music and sound effects. The music made it scarier than when I was filming.